Kareem Hunt was placed on the Reserve/Commissioner Exempt List by the NFL and released by the Kansas City Chiefs after newly released video showed the running back pushing and kicking a woman during an altercation that occurred at a Cleveland hotel in February. The video first surfaced Friday on the website TMZ.
The surveillance video shows Hunt getting into a confrontation with a woman while being restrained by others. After exchanging words with her, he shoves her before she strikes him in the face. Hunt then shoves another man into the woman, pushing her to the floor. Hunt eventually makes his way over to her and kicks her in the leg while she is on the floor.
Cleveland Police confirmed to NFL.com that no arrests were made in the incident and Hunt has not been charged.
"I want to apologize for my actions," Hunt said in a statement obtained by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. "I deeply regret what I did. I hope to move on from this."
The NFL released the following statement:
"The NFL has placed Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs on the Commissioner Exempt list, and as a result, he may not practice, play or attend games. The NFL's investigation, which began immediately following the incident in February, will include a review of the new information that was made public today."
The Chiefs released Hunt a short time after he was placed on the Commissioner Exempt List.
Hunt was sent home early from the Chiefs' practice facility shortly after the video was published, a source told Rapoport.
It remains to be seen if Hunt will join a team while on the Commissioner Exempt List. Pursuant to the NFL's personal-conduct policy, a player placed on Commissioner Exempt List may, with his club's permission, be present at the club's facility on a reasonable basis for meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation and other permitted non-football activities.
Neither the NFL nor the Chiefs had seen the video before it was released Friday, a source informed of the situation told Rapoport. The NFL made several attempts to obtain it. The hotel said it was corporate policy to only turn over surveillance video to law enforcement. Cleveland Police Dept. public information officer Jennifer Ciaccia confirmed to NFL.com the police did not release the video.
While no charges were filed, the NFL continued its investigation, which included contacting the alleged victims, sources told Rapoport. However, they did not respond to multiple messages from the league, per Rapoport.
According to a police report obtained by NFL.com, witnesses gave conflicting reports to officers about what led to the altercation. Hunt said he found two women with a man he knew when he returned to his room at The Metropolitan in Cleveland early on the morning of Feb. 10. He said he told the women to leave after learning they were 19 years old. One of the women said she was told to leave after she refused to be with one of the men in the room with Hunt.
Witnesses told police that one of the women involved yelled in the hallway and banged on the door of the room after being escorted out. One of the men with Hunt told police that the woman called Hunt names and used racial slurs before Hunt confronted her.
Speaking to reporters in August, Kareem Hunt referred to the incident: "I've learned from it and I'm focused on football."
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt also spoke in August about the incidents involving Hunt.
"I'm sure he learned some lessons this offseason and hopefully won't be in those kind of situations in the future," Clark Hunt said.
Hunt has rushed for 824 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games for the Chiefs this season. He led the league in rushing as a rookie last year with 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns.
